Pure (41 page)

Whoa, that didn’t come out right.

“Out of the question,” Aiden said in a low, dangerous way.

“Guess what? I don’t like you, either. But you don’t have any other choice. Either you risk this or you trust me enough to know that I’ll keep an eye on her.” Seth paused, his gaze meeting Aiden’s. “I have just as much invested as you.”

I scratched my leg. “Invested in what?”

They ignored me.

Aiden sort of growled. “If anything—anything happens to her—”

“I know,” replied Seth. “You’ll kill me.”

“I’ll do worse,” Aiden growled. “Don’t take her to her room. We don’t need Marcus knowing about this. Take her to… your room. As soon as I can, I will come.” He turned to me and forced a smile. I hated that kind of smile. “Everything is going to be okay. Just please, please listen to Seth, and whatever you do, don’t leave his room.”

I stared at Aiden. “Wait. I want—”

Aiden had already turned and disappeared into the crowd. Then Seth took hold of my hand, leading me from the hall. I really didn’t know what to expect. I’d heard rumors at the Covenant about the Brew, knew that Lea had supposedly had some, but I’d never seen anyone under its influence.

Seth didn’t say anything as we navigated the hallways and headed upstairs. Several flights of stairs later, I still felt okay. “I really feel fine. Nothing is wrong with me. I’m sure I can go to my room. I won’t leave.”

Seth pulled me down the hallway.

“Look, why won’t you talk to me? Especially after last night—”

He shot me a dangerous look over his shoulder. “This right now has nothing to do with last night.”

I glared back at him even though I thought his hand felt incredibly smooth around mine. “Are you mad at me?”

“Alex, I’m not mad at you. But I am pissed right now. It’s best I just don’t speak. I might end up burning down this building.” Letting go of my hand then, he pushed open the door to his room and motioned me forward. “In.”

I shot him a haughty look. Really, they were making this into a bigger deal than— “What the hell?”

Seth kicked the door shut behind him. “What?”

“How come you get this awesome room?” I turned around, amazed by the cathedral ceilings, plush carpets, and a big screen television that took up half the wall. And the bed—it was the size of a boat. My current predicament was temporarily forgotten. “I’ve been sleeping in a closet. This isn’t fair.”

He dropped his key on a dresser. “I’m the Apollyon.”

“So? I am, too, and I got a matchbox for a room. A coffin would’ve been bigger.”

“You’re not an Apollyon yet.”

That was the extent of our conversation for several minutes. I watched him prowl around the room, and then over to the window. There he stayed.

“What’re you doing?”

Seth leaned against the windowsill, attention fastened on whatever he saw outside. Several strands of hair had slipped from the tie and obscured most of his expression. “Help yourself to whatever you want in the room. Watch some TV or go to sleep.”

My temper stretched and snapped. “You’re an ass.”

He didn’t respond.

I shifted uncomfortably, wishing I’d thrown on a shirt under the hoodie. The room felt steamy, nearly unbearable. I went to the bed to sit down, but stopped. A strange sensation crawled up my spine. It felt different—incredible. Like an incredible rush of—of happiness. Yes. Like waves of sunshine and all things good.

Everything suddenly seemed okay—great even.

Seth turned from the window, his eyes narrowing on me. “Alex?”

I twisted around slowly. The room seemed lighter, soft, beautiful. Everything seemed beautiful. I think I may have sighed.

“Oh, gods,” Seth groaned. “It’s starting.”

“What’s starting?” I barely recognized my own voice.

Seth looked at me pointedly. I thought he looked funny, so I laughed, and it was like a switch being thrown. I wanted to run and dance, and sing—and I couldn’t sing, but I wanted to—and I wanted to… do stuff.

His slouch vanished and his expression took on a hard edge. “Go sit down, Alex.”

I tipped my head back. Well, it kind of fell back, and I liked the weight of my hair falling into empty space, just hanging there. It felt good on my neck.

“Seriously, go sit down.”

“Why?” I lifted my head, swaying a little. My skin tingled, like, all over—tingled like electric shocks—like when Aiden used to touch me or when I’d kissed Seth last night. I’d liked that, too, but I’d liked Aiden’s kisses better. Seth’s touch evoked something different. Gods, my brain wouldn’t shut up. It just kept going and going.

He pushed away from the window. “You look ridiculous, Alex.”

I stopped moving, having no clue exactly when I’d started swaying back and forth. “Yooooou look mooooore ridiculous,” I sang. “You’re brooding. Brooding doesn’t fit you.”

He rubbed his chin as his gaze followed me with the intensity of a hawk stalking its prey. “This is going to be a long night.”

“Maybe.” I inched closer to him, because I wanted to be closer to something, someone. “Hey. You smiled.”

He dropped his hand. “Don’t.”

I giggled. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t come any closer, Alex.”

“You had no problem being close to me last night. Why, are you scared of me?”

“I’m not.”

“Then why can’t I?”

Amusement flickered across his face for a second before vanishing. “Alex, you need to go lie down.”

I spun around, suddenly overcome by the urge to dance. When we’d waltzed in the field—that’d been fun. I wanted to do it again, and I wanted Seth to join me. Dancing alone was kind of lame.

“Alex—”

“Okay. I’m sitting down.” Then I darted for him. I must’ve taken him off guard, because he didn’t move, and come on, Seth could’ve moved out of the way if he’d wanted to.

But he didn’t.

I wrapped my arms around his waist like an octopus, and I didn’t want to dance anymore. “This feels good,” I murmured, rubbing my cheek against the front of his shirt.

Seth didn’t react at first, and I
knew
he thought it felt good, too. Then he grabbed my arms and untangled them from his waist. “Alex, please go sit down.”

“I don’t want to.” I tried to reach for his neck, but he stepped back. I frowned. “Why do you keep moving away from me? Are you scared of me now?”

“Yes. Right now, I am.”

I threw my head back, laughing. “The big bad Apollyon is afraid of me? I’m hot. Can’t you open up a window?”

Seth spun around and went to the window. “Why did I suggest this?”

“Because yooooou like me,” I sang, turning and turning until I felt dizzy. “You really, really like me. Gods, I need to drink this stuff more often. I feel awesome.”

Groaning, he looked for the window lock. “You won’t later.”

“Huh? You drank it before? You have! You dirty, dirty Apollyon.” I threw myself on the bed. It was
so
comfortable. “I love your bed.” I rolled onto my stomach, smiling. “I love it so much I’d marry it if I could.”

Seth laughed out loud. “You’d marry my bed?”

“Mmm.” I flopped onto my back. There was a painted mural on Seth’s ceiling. Angels and other winged creatures painted in pretty pastels. “I would if I could marry, but we can’t marry. Not even inanimate objects. Kind of takes the fun out of falling in love.”

“Does it?” murmured Seth.

I pushed off the bed, unable to sit still. Seth was still at the window, but he’d forgotten about the lock. “Haven’t you ever been in love, Seth?”

He blinked slowly. “I don’t think so. Does loving yourself count?”

I laughed. “No. It doesn’t. But good try. Seth?”

“Yes?”

“It’s hot in here.”

Shaking his head, he turned back to the window. “Yeah, let me find the damn lock on this thing and I’ll fix that for you.”

It was too hot. Just too hot in here, and I couldn’t stand the itchy material against my skin anymore. Seth was taking too long. I tugged the hoodie over my head and dropped it on the floor. I immediately felt a thousand times better.

Seth stiffened and let out a strangled sound. “Please tell me you did not take off your clothes.”

I giggled. “No.”

He ran his hands over his head. More silky strands sifted through his fingers. “I’m going to regret this. I’m so going to regret this.”

“I’m not naked, you idiot.” I tugged my hair off my neck and started twisting it. “And you’ve been trying to see me naked since I met you.”

“That may be the case, but not like this.”

“Naked is naked,” I reasoned.

Slowly, Seth turned around and froze. His chest rose and fell unsteadily. “Oh, for the love of the gods, Alex, where is your shirt?”

I didn’t understand why he was making a big deal about this. I had a bra on. It wasn’t like… the thought evaporated. “I’m so hot. Just give me a shirt. Your shirt would work.”

“Yes… you’re hot. I can tell.” His voice sounded thick and edgy.

I laughed and let go of my hair, but I was still hot… and out of control. The last time I’d felt this way, I’d kissed Aiden. That is, after I’d punched him in the face. I stopped moving, not liking the nervous fluttering in my stomach. I looked down, expecting to see my skin move. I poked my tummy once, but it felt like I’d jabbed my finger into the skin a thousand times. My heart skipped a beat.

“What are you doing?” Seth asked.

“I don’t know. My stomach feels all light.”

“It’s the drink. You’ll feel better if you just sit down. I’ll get you a shirt. Just hold on a sec.”

I looked up then. Seth had moved to the dresser, rummaging through the drawers. His back was to me—a vulnerable position—and he seemed to be concentrating awful hard on finding a shirt.

A new, although somewhat old, idea consumed me. I don’t think I’d ever moved so quietly in my life. I was ninja stealth. Seth didn’t realize until it was too late. He shot up and whipped around, eyes wide.

“Alex, just let me get you a shirt. Stay put.” He moved to the left.

I followed him, shadowing his movements much like I did in training. Giving up on the shirt, he darted away from the dresser—away from me. But I was quicker. Once again, I had my arms around him. Then an even better idea took over.

“Kiss me?” I asked.

CHAPTER 24

SETH TIPPED HIS HEAD BACK, SIGHING LOUDLY. “ALEX, YOU DON’T want this. It’s the drink.”

“That’s not true. Nothing’s wrong with me. Don’t you want to kiss me?”

“It’s not about what
I
want.” He clasped my arms. “I’m not doing this when you’re like this.”

“I’m not drunk,” I said indignantly.

“You were just dancing like some wood nymph five minutes ago. You took off your shirt and now you’re latched onto me like a little monkey. So don’t tell me you’re in complete control of yourself.”

Damn. When he said it like that, I had to stop and think about what I was doing. Thinking lasted all of five seconds, maybe six. Thinking was overrated. “You want to kiss me and you liked kissing me last night.”

Seth made a low sound in his throat as he grabbed my shoulders, giving me a little shake. “Do you know why you feel this way right now? It has nothing to do with me or you,” he said roughly. “Someone wanted to ruin you, Alex. They wanted to get you on your back with some pure so you’d be removed from the Covenant and placed into servitude. Don’t you get it? This—
this
is not you.”

“No. This is me, really me
.
Or the connection thingy, but who cares? I want you to kiss me again. I like you, Seth. I really don’t know why. You’re arrogant and rude, but I like you. Don’t you like me?”

“Alex.” He said my name as if he was in some sort of exquisite pain. “I’m trying to be a good guy right now, and you’re not helping.”

“I don’t want you to be a good guy.”

He choked on his laugh. “You are making this really hard.”

I pressed against him. “You’re making this harder.”

His hands slid down my arms again, sending shivers over me. Could it be possible to be so hot and so cold all at once? “Alex.”

“Seth.”

“There are a lot of things I want to do to you right now, but it wouldn’t be right.”

I tipped my head back and looked him in the eye. Faint marks of the Apollyon started to creep across his face. “Don’t you want to kiss me?” I reached up, running my fingers over his parted lips. “I know you do. I can tell.”

Seth’s grip tightened and his eyes fell shut. I slipped a hand under the hem of his shirt. He inhaled and tried to step back, but I followed him… a bit too closely. My leg got snared with his. For someone normally so graceful, he wasn’t right then. He went down, half on his side and half on his back.